Calls for a green belt around Norwich to prevent countryside being lost to house building are proving contentious.
The local branch of countryside charity Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has launched a bid to establish greater protection for at-risk green spaces.
They want large swathes of land, including near the A47 southern bypass and along the A1151 Wroxham Road, B1150 Coltishall Road and A1067 Fakenham Road to be given extra protection.
But these proposals have been met with resistance from those who argue new restrictions on development could harm the region's economy and worsen the housing crisis, which has seen many locals struggle to find affordable homes.
"This is about defining what a green belt actually is," said Martin Murrell, Conservative district councillor for the Wroxham ward - which includes the rapidly expanding village of Rackheath.
"As much as we hate to see farmland built on, there is a desperate need for housing.
"We have to balance green areas with what needs to be built.
"And if you have large housing developments, like the one in Rackheath, you need to have suitable infrastructure.
"This includes schools and medical practices.
"So I am for green spaces but only if they are done correctly."
The CPRE previously put forward proposals for 'green wedges' in 2018 during a consultation over the Greater Norwich Local Plan - a blueprint for where almost 50,000 homes and jobs would be created by 2038.
But council bosses said they were not convinced a green belt for Norwich was justifiable.
However, with the Greater Norwich Growth Board asking people to take part in a consultation over green spaces in and around Norwich, the CPRE said fresh consideration should be given to its idea.
Deborah Sacks is the Labour district councillor for the Cringleford ward - an area that could increase in size by more than 50pc over the coming years.
"The issue with a green belt is that people often think it is a lovely area of green land," she said.
"But sometimes it becomes a horrible industrial area.
"It is not always about ecological protection. Sometimes it is about controlling urban sprawl.
"That's why we need to define what a green belt around Norwich would look like.
"Cringleford is a good area for an expanding city, but we need proper strategic planning - including the facilities and infrastructure to cope.
"If a green belt was poorly introduced it could potentially hold Cringleford back."
The CPRE's proposals would see 'green wedges' radiate out from the city into the countryside, following existing green corridors, such as river valleys, railway lines and major footpaths and cycleways.
The charity says this would still enable development which is needed for homes and jobs but would protect the city's character for generations to come.
"Green wedges would make the case for open spaces and recreation facilities to be properly integrated into new development," added Cllr Sacks.
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"This is exactly my point. Development should be properly planned and include open space for recreation in a strategic plan before building starts."
Government green belt policy was established in 1955 primarily to stop urban sprawl.
It is clustered around 15 urban cores, the largest of which are London, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
Cambridge is the city closest to Norwich with a green belt.
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However, there has been criticism that green belts can inflate house prices within the cities they surround - with some think tanks arguing the release of at least some land could help with the housing crisis.
"The principle of a green belt can be good," said Richard Potter, Conservative district councillor for Old Catton and Sprowston West.
"But hundreds of thousands of people need homes and a place to live.
"There needs to be a happy medium between meeting this demand and prioritising the importance of green areas."
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